Something's Different About Him
by Predatory Fuzzball
Summary: I'm baaack!!! I know, you've missed me ;-) What happens when Sev and Latisha leave Dumbledores office...?
1. The Return

1 Something's Different About Him  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Patricia Quirrell (Eston), who is not me, but believe me, if I could be her, I would. I own no Severus, I own no Quirrell (I made up his first name though), I own no Dumbledore, McGonagall, talking mirror, Potter, Weasley, or Granger. Hogwarts is not mine; Hagrid is not mine. I think that's about it, but if I'm missing anything, let me know.  
  
AN: I have completely screwed things up in the first book . well, not completely. Not as completely as when I first wrote this. I've added a character, which I know is cliché, but I couldn't not! This story was too good to pass up! Read and enjoy! *walks away trying to find a copy of Dogma* Oh, and I can't make it go italicy, so the words inside astriks (*blah*) are italics.  
  
  
  
2 The Return  
  
"Well Pat," he breathed into her ear. "I guess this is our last night."  
  
"Yes," she sighed. "It is." She rolled over and looked into his endless black eyes. She reached up and tucked a strand of sweaty black hair behind his ear.  
  
"You do know that he knows about you, right Severus?" she asked.  
  
"I think you mentioned it a few times," he replied, kissing her hand without breaking their gaze.  
  
"Well if this is our last night, then we'd better make use of it," she whispered. He turned her onto her back and began the enjoyable business of making her ready for him once again .  
  
* * *  
  
*Thank goodness that today there are no meetings* Patricia Quirrell thought as she ran up to her own rooms from the rooms of Severus Snape. *I have to do so much in so little time! Plan lessons, have a swim . meet Jason . * Her heart skipped a beat as she thought about her husband, Jason Quirrell, who would be returning from . well, wherever he had been last. He had left Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry a year ago last July to get some "field experience" as Reubeus Hagrid put it. He was returning to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. Pat had been in constant contact with him, but a daily owl just wasn't the same as having a living, breathing human being to share her bed with. *Enter Severus* she thought wryly. Through a paperwork mix-up, Patricia had been the Co-Head of Slytherin House the last year. Everything was hopefully back to the way it should be this year, but the ten months of shared responsibilities had forced Patricia and Severus Snape to become close friends. Too close, in fact, for their relationship to remain platonic. It had been an extreme shock when Patricia had realized that she loved both Jason Quirrell *and* Severus Snape. She had told Jason, of course, and had been very surprised when she had gotten his owl the next day with a confession that he had 'screwed up' as well. He told her that as long as she didn't leave him, she could continue to 'see' Severus.  
  
That first night they made love to each other had been incredible for both of them; they had both had a very stressful day, mostly because the Weasley twins had been in an . interesting mood. Severus had invited her to his rooms for a cup of brandy before bed, and she had accepted. They had sat and talked for a good two hours, Patricia finally learning about the man behind the sarcastic, cold, bitter mask he presented to the world. Learning about him and falling in love with him. She realized he felt the same way when he put his half empty glass of brandy down on the table and looked into her eyes. She realized he knew she loved him when he pulled her to him and caught her mouth in a loving, passionate kiss. The rest of the night went on from there.  
  
It had been Patricia who had decided that the night before Jason returned would be the last night Severus would have her. Severus had argued, of course. He said Jason had given his permission, so why end such a good arrangement? Patricia had been firm though. She loved Severus, but Jason was her husband; the man she had given up her freedom for. She wasn't going to sleep in the arms of another man while Jason was with her. *Even if those arms are incredibly strong and- Stop it!*  
  
Patricia decided against planning her lessons - she could do it tomorrow. When she returned to her rooms from her swim in the lake, she pulled on the deep purple robes that Jason had always said looked best on her, and sat down in front of the mirror.  
  
"He's back today, isn't he dearie?" the mirror asked.  
  
"Yes," Patricia replied shyly. She began to brush her hair, and as she did, her eyes fell on the clock beside her bed. She saw that she had either stayed in Severus' bed longer than usual, or had swam longer than she usually did. She had only half an hour before Jason arrived, and knowing him, he'd be three-quarters of an hour early. Just to piss her off.  
  
"Do I look all right?" She asked the mirror. It wasn't the mirror who replied though.  
  
"You look just fine, dear. He's going to fall in love with you all over again."  
  
"Thank you Minerva," she said to the Transfiguration teacher. "For everything."  
  
"Not a problem. Now, go on, or he'll have to wait." Minerva McGonagall smiled tolerantly as she watched the young Ancient Runes teacher grin like an eighteen year old and run down the corridor towards the front doors to meet Jason at the edge of Hogwarts grounds. 


	2. Painful News

1 Painful News  
  
Disclaimer: I wish I owned the Greasy One, but I don't. I don't own any of the others either, except for Patricia.  
  
AN: Thanks to Star, I have now found a new direction for this story! I've been staring at my screen for the past three days trying to figure out what I'm going to do with it, but now I know! Thanks a bunch!!!  
  
  
  
When she reached the gate she stopped to catch her breath. She bent over, resting her hands on her knees, when she heard his voice.  
  
"My, now isn't that an inviting position?" Patricia snapped her head up, and was suddenly overcome by shyness. She looked at the young man in front of her, and realized how much she had actually missed him. She took in his messy brown hair and light blue eyes, which had a strangely haunted look in them. but that didn't matter right then. Overcoming her shyness, she ran into his waiting arms and proceeded to cover his face with kisses. Their lips met, and both of the young professors were transported into another world.  
  
"Oh Jason, I've missed you so much!" she said when they finally broke apart.  
  
"Well if I had known that I was going to get such an exuberant welcome in broad daylight, I would have come back tonight, instead of today," he said laughingly. He then proceeded to tell her, both verbally and non-verbally, how much he had missed her.  
  
In the distance, an eagle cried out, and the two walked back through the settling afternoon towards the impressive castle that was Hogwarts. They were greeted at the doors by a very enthusiastic Albus Dumbledore, and an equally subdued and cynical looking Severus Snape. Patricia quickly looked away when she saw the pain and longing in his eyes when he looked at her. She didn't look away quickly enough to miss the look of pure venom he shot Jason though.  
  
"Severus, would you be so kind as to explain to Patricia what's happening this year?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Yes, Headmaster, I would love to," he replied sarcastically. "As you have given me no other choice in the matter."  
  
"Excellent!" Dumbledore said, seemingly oblivious to the tension that had settled between the three younger professors.  
  
"Headmaster, I." Patricia began.  
  
"No, Pat, it's okay," Jason said softly. "I'll see you at the feast." He kissed Patricia on the forehead, shot a look of supreme smugness at Severus, and followed Dumbledore into the school. The tension in the air seemed to thicken as Severus and Patricia avoided looking at each other.  
  
"Oh this is so stupid!" Patricia exclaimed at the same time that Severus said,  
  
"Come. You will need a place you can vent when you hear this." And with that, he turned on his heel and disappeared into the school, leaving Patricia staring thoughtfully after him.  
  
She caught up with him at the Astronomy tower, a favourite place of both. He climbed the stairs, and sat on the nearest available crate, leaning against the wall.  
  
"I'm going to sit," he said. "This is going to be a scene that I don't want to miss." Patricia looked at him quizzically, a seed of doubt growing in the pit of her stomach.  
  
"We're co-Heading Slytherin House again this year," he announced. Patricia stared at him. He had to be kidding. He wasn't serious. was he? The clearly unhappy look on his face convinced her that he *was* serious.  
  
He watched her throw curses out the window and yell profanities at the top of her voice with an amused smirk on his lips. He loved it when she lost her temper. She was so. wild and. *violent*. So beautiful.  
  
"Very well done," he said when she finally quieted and turned to him, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "Now I understand why Albus has such a hard time not laughing when *I'm* angry. That was the funniest thing I've seen in years! Oh come here, you silly girl!" he said when he saw her eyes flash dangerously.  
  
Patricia threw herself into his arms and started to sob.  
  
"Why??? He knows what there is between us! He *knows* I love you and Jason equally! Why is Albus doing this?"  
  
Severus sat comforting Patricia for a few minutes before tipping her tear-streaked face up so he could look at her.  
  
"I don't know why he's doing this. He has a reason, though, and more than likely we won't understand it until later."  
  
"Severus, you know as well as I do that whenever *he* does something, nobody *ever* understands it!"  
  
Patricia laid her head on his shoulder and he encircled her with his arms. They stayed that way, neither speaking, reliving the sweet memories they both had, until they heard the Hogwarts Express in the distance. They pulled apart and looked at each other, steeling themselves for the painful year ahead.  
  
"I love you Patricia," Severus said quietly.  
  
"And I love you, Severus," she replied. He touched her jaw softly, and pulled her to him for one last loving, passionate and sorrow-filled kiss. 


	3. The Feast

1 The Feast  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, and zilch. Redundantly repetitive, much?  
  
AN: After this chapter, I don't know what's going to happen with them. I think I can go with the book more after this one. Or not. Depends on what happens when I'm up at three in the morning writing! Oh, and I find it too difficult to make Quirrell stutter, so in my story, he speaks in that sexy, dreamy voice he spoke in at the end of the movie *drools*.  
  
Severus and Patricia entered the Great Hall together, as befitting the Co-Heads of Slytherin House: Cold, impressive, and foreboding. The Hall was mostly full, as the first years were the only students left to enter the Hall. In a regal flow of black and dark purple, they gracefully approached the High Table and took their seats, Patricia sitting between Severus and Jason. The Slytherins who were already seated looked curiously between Severus and Patricia, trying to discern whether they had one Head of House or two. Patricia nodded to a few of the students and started when she heard Jason's voice close to her ear.  
  
"Spending the night with me tonight, or with your little toy?" he asked nastily. She turned her eyes to him and had to stifle a giggle when she saw the combination of jealousy in his eyes and that ridiculous purple turban on his head. She had hoped, up until she entered the Hall, that he had lost it somewhere along the line. Instead of giggling, she just drew upon her year of dealing with Severus' sarcasm and said,  
  
"Got into the garlic again, eh Jason?" She was surprised when he started to laugh, but just raised an eyebrow at him. She glanced at Severus, and in the process glanced at a few of the Slytherin students. They were looking at her expectantly, and she knew it was time to return to her role of the typical, arrogant, cynical Head of Slytherin. She carefully schooled her face into a condescending mask and she and Severus both looked at Jason the same way.  
  
Jason knew it was a mask; Dumbledore had explained to him that she had to act the Slytherin in front of the students. He could see in her black eyes the amount of pain and love she was feeling at the same time. Snape, on the other hand, was looking at him with an expression of pure hatred. And it wasn't a mask. Well, he could hate him all he wanted, the bastard. Stealing his beloved wife from him. But that didn't matter anymore. Nothing trivial mattered anymore. The fools. Did they really think that he was the same? Jason knew Patricia had seen the look in his eyes when he had arrived. He also knew that she wouldn't press him about it. He threw a sneer worthy of Snape at the bastard and received a startled look from Patricia. She knew he hated her lover, but he had hidden the depth of his hatred from even her. It was too bad that she was so enthralled with that traitor. It was also too bad that Patricia and Snape looked so good together. They hadn't noticed it, but when they entered, every person in the Hall had caught his or her breath. The children those two could produce. He looked away from the two when the first years entered the Hall. There was that Malfoy kid; ah yes, there was Potter. He would have to watch out for that one. He watched as Potter rubbed his forehead; at the same time he felt a surge of hatred for that child. Why? He didn't even know the kid. He noticed Snape glaring at Potter. Interesting. Full of possibilities. He filed away Snape's reaction to Potter, and turned his attention to Patricia and saw she was watching Potter with much interest. She narrowed her eyes in concentration and he leaned over.  
  
"Lily and James Potter's son," he whispered to help her out. She tore her gaze away from the boy and glanced at Jason.  
  
"I know," she snapped. "Do you think I'm stupid?" He saw Snape smirk gleefully at him over her head and he swallowed his initial response.  
  
"No, Pat," he replied soothingly. "I just thought you might be having some difficulty placing him, as you only really knew Lily and not James. I apologize." She smiled at him and he knew he was forgiven.  
  
How dare she talk to him like that? Did she not realize the power he now had? He could kill her with two words. And yet. the power she had over him was even greater. When she flashed that beautiful smile at him. he would have to find a way to get past that particular weapon. She would be a formidable enemy; because that's what she was now. An enemy. Snape could have been a very powerful ally. How could a *woman* get between them? They had been friends and then *she* showed up and screwed everything up. She had married *him* and then fallen in love with *Snape* of all people. Such a shame. Now he couldn't kill her until he found *it*. He would have to put up with her all year. Unless. yes, that could work. If he could "unintentionally" drive her to Snape. He would begin tonight. After he had pretended he still loved her.  
  
*But,* he thought. *I DO still love her. Why do I want to pretend? Why do I want to drive her away? Why do I want to kill her? Where did those thoughts come from.?* 


	4. Silent Reflections - Severus' Thoughts

1 Silent Reflections - Severus' Thoughts  
  
Disclaimer: I'm too depressed about the fact that I don't own them to put in a proper disclaimer.  
  
AN: Thanks goes out to ThreeOranges for the suggestions! Normandie, I know what you mean about Alan and Ian. Yummy! This chapter and the next are actually one big chapter. I was going to put them in one chapter, but I got a little carried away with my writing and ran out of time. Basically this and the next chapter both take place at the same time, and then I get back into plot movement.  
  
He was in a foul mood. In itself, that wasn't unusual; that Patricia was part of the reason *was* unusual. He briefly smiled as he sat in front of the fire and remembered the look on her face when he had finished kissing her for the first time. It was amazing how that woman made him feel. He didn't believe in love at first sight, but he had held her in very high regard from the moment they first met. Her obvious intelligence; the way her face lit up when she smiled; the way she didn't let past bad decisions or past pain stop her from getting what she wanted; her lovely, biting sense of humor. The woman was truly one of a kind. She wasn't perfect, but he would change nothing about her. Well, except her choice in husbands. The worm. How could he justify leaving her here while he went out and risked his neck? She would have willingly gone with him, had he asked. Probably would have gotten herself killed - that girl attracted trouble like no other - but she would have gone. Out of love. Severus' lip curled at that thought.  
  
*She still doesn't know what real love is* he thought savagely. *I've shown her real love for the past nine glorious months, and she still goes back to HIM* He took comfort in the words she had murmured in her sleep a few nights ago. Subconsciously she knew with whom she shared a true love. Patricia may have looked at her husband tonight with the eyes of a less- than-devoted wife, but she had looked upon *him*, Severus Snape, one of the most skilled and talented Potions Masters in the wizarding world, dark mysterious, and all-around bad guy (or so it was assumed) with the eyes of a fully devoted lover *and* wife! The happiness they could create; they children they could produce. He would be willing to bet all the nights of pure pleasure and love she had given him that Jason Quirrell would never again have those luxurious black eyes turned towards him in such an expression of intelligent (rather than hopeless) devotion. She was *his*: Quirrell had lost her the moment he left Hogwarts.  
  
Quirrell. what was up with him? He acted as if it was Patricia's fault their friendship was torn apart. It had been Quirrell who left, not Patricia; it had been Dumbledore who, in all his irregular wisdom, had stuck Slytherin with two Heads of House; it had been Severus who had seen how upset and lonely Patricia was. It had been Severus who had realised that Quirrell was nothing but an idealistic worm that had no idea how the real world worked. No, Patricia wasn't at fault.  
  
There was something different about him though. There was more. confidence in his face. Like he knew something nobody else knew. There had been a possessive look in his eyes when he regarded Patricia. And yet, at the same time there had been love. The shock that had appeared when she snapped at him had been genuine. (Severus had enjoyed that immensely.) The man looked like a hunted animal. The very same look that Severus had seen on his own face a million times when "Old Voldie", as Patricia insisted on calling him, had still been around. But "Old Voldie" was gone. All because of Potter's boy.  
  
Harry Potter. what was so special about the kid? The boy had that same "I-love-being-in-the-spotlight-so-give-me-something-heroic-to-do-and- I'll-do-it" look his father used to have. Ugh; he'd have to keep an eye on that boy.  
  
Severus' eyes snapped open as an unpleasant thought struck him rather violently. Quirrell had been in Albania, hadn't he? And hadn't Dumbledore recently told him that "Old Voldie" - or whatever was left of him anyway - had last been reported skulking around Albania? No, he wouldn't have. Quirrell had more brains than that. Didn't he? It would explain the hunted animal look though. And it would certainly explain the look of pure hatred he had shot at Potter.  
  
His train of thought was abruptly interrupted as his door flew open, whatever locking charms he had placed on it being utterly destroyed in the process, and he found himself staring into the yellow eyes of the trembling black panther that was -  
  
"Patricia?" 


	5. Silent Reflections - Patricia's Thoughts

1 Silent Reflections - Patricia's Thoughts  
  
Disclaimer: Patricia is not mine, she is me, and - wait a sec, that didn't come out right! *starts again* Patricia is not me, she is mine. My name is Rhonda, not Patricia. I own no other. *sobs*  
  
AN: My, that was confusing, eh? *grins* So this is Patricia's POV, and it's taking place at the same time as Severus' POV. Please don't hate me for that bit of obviousness at the end of the last chapter. Patricia being the panther. Who'd a thunk it? There will be more explanation about Pat's feelings about the way Quirrell's changed in the chapters to come (in a theatre near you).  
  
  
  
At almost the exact same moment that Severus was sitting down in his chair in front of the fire, Patricia and Jason were running down the hall to their room to get away from the absolutely insane, yet incredibly wise Albus Dumbledore. He had spent the last half hour trying to convince them of the sexual merits of lemon drops. Patricia was laughing her head off and Jason was trying his hardest to keep the blood from rushing to his face. It wasn't working.  
  
"Does he embarrass you my dear?" Patricia asked between fits of laughter.  
  
"No, it's just... Well..." Jason searched his mind for a suitable explanation as Patricia burst into another peal of laughter.  
  
"Don't worry about it. The old man's a crackpot," she said, her voice full of respect. "Just crack a few sick jokes and he'll go back to teasing Minerva," she advised. The two entered their room and the door was barely shut before Jason captured her mouth with his own. And questions Patricia may have had about Harry Potter and why Jason had glared at him flew from her mind as Jason let her know what he wanted.  
  
* * *  
  
It was a result of not having her in a long time. It had to have been. Or had he always been that bad at it? Was that why she had always enjoyed Severus so much? Because Jason didn't know what he was doing? She didn't remember him being that bad though. He hadn't been like that. Something had changed. But what? Unbidden, the haunted look in his eyes came back to her; she watched him glare at Potter once again; saw him glare at Severus as the two Heads had entered the Hall; saw the possessive look in his eyes as he looked at her...  
  
She glanced over at him. He was nearly sleeping. His breathing had finally returned to normal; another few minutes and he would be asleep. Her thoughts wandered to the past and she thought of her old school friends.  
  
Malfoy, of course; he was the unofficial leader of Slytherin, and head-over-heels in love with her. He had never stood a chance.  
  
Crabbe; he had been useful. Ran all her errands for her.  
  
Severus had known her as Latisha Eston. At that time she had held no romantic feelings for him; she was utterly fascinated by that brilliant mind of his. Even then, though, he had only let her see what he let the rest of the world see.  
  
Remus Lupin; a few dalliances with him here, a few there... even though he was Gryffindor, he had been a good friend.  
  
Lily; The girl Patricia had always wished she could be. Until Severus had told her off about it.  
  
"It's easier to be inconspicuous with black hair, Latisha," he had said. She had turned and stalked away, wordlessly telling him she knew he was right.  
  
Jason; he had been Ravenclaw. Every time he spoke to her she acknowledged him in the haughty Slytherin manner. They hadn't gotten together until much later.  
  
Sirius... Patricia smiled when she thought of the boy who had introduced her to the world of romance. He had loved her, and she him, but House prejudices eventually got in the way. They went their separate ways, he ruthlessly breaking Gryffindor hearts to get over her, and she doing the same to Slytherin hearts for the same reason. The battle between Gryffindor and Slytherin had turned into all-out war when Patricia had hexed Sirius for picking on Severus. They did *not* graduate as friends.  
  
A snore interrupted her thoughts, and Patricia was hit with an almost irresistible need to see Severus. That need was reinforced when Jason began to mutter in his sleep.  
  
"Yes, my Lord... of course I will get rid of him... the woman too... I am truly sorry my Lord... the boy will not be a problem..."  
  
Patricia didn't wait to hear anything else. Without bothering to see if Jason was awake or asleep, she got silently out of bed and made her way to the dungeons. Once there, she transformed smoothly into the form she was most comfortable in. She had many forms, all illegal, but the panther was her favourite.  
  
She silently crept down to *his* door and sat listening for a moment. There were none of those absurd noises human males made when they slept, so that meant that *he* was thinking. She vaguely wondered why she was indoors, and then her mind won control over her body and instincts. She was Patricia again. In mind at least. She crouched, ready to spring, while at the same time gathering all her power for one strike. *He* would have locking charms on the door of course. No matter. With a sudden snarl which served as her power's release, the door opened and she jumped into *his* room and bounded over to *him*. She stared into his black eyes and all at once remembered why she was there. She started to tremble uncontrollably as fear gripped her and she saw recognition in his eyes.  
  
"Patricia?"  
  
She briefly recalled that one of her other forms (and one of his) was a wolf and that wolves mate for life...  
  
* * *  
  
Quirrell opened his eyes as the door shut. That had gone better than hoped for. She had run like a scared rabbit. He briefly wondered why he had done that, and experienced a short moment of pain. It was quickly gone, with the Dark Lord in possession of the DADA teacher once again... 


	6. Silent Reflections - Jason's Thoughts

1 Silent Reflections - Jason's Thoughts  
  
Disclaimer: How many times do I have to say I own nothing but Patricia to satisfy the lawyers?  
  
AN: You know, it's getting pretty bad when I, the author of this thing, don't know with whom my sympathies lie. I used to like Patricia! I used to feel sorry for her! I wasn't originally going to do this, but after reading the reviews, I decided to. It was more difficult than the other two, but I think it came out not too badly. This chapter takes place at the same time that the previous two chapters take place at.  
  
*What do lemon drops have to do with sex?* Jason thought while he watched his beautiful, less-than-faithful wife continue to laugh hysterically at what Dumbledore had said. That girl was too over-sexed. It was no wonder she had used Snape to get a lay every night. He had actually been quite surprised that it had taken so long for her to sleep with the slimy git. When he replied, he said she could continue to 'see' him because he loved her enough to let her do what she wanted. Now he just didn't care. It hurt too much to think about his wife with Severus Snape. But what was he supposed to do? Tell her to leave him and marry her toy? No, when it came right down to it, Jason had to admit that he still loved her with all his heart. The stupidest part about the whole situation was the fact that he knew the *real* reason Sirius Black broke up with her. And yet, he had still married her. He had believed her when she told him she would never cheat on him. He had fallen for her lies hook line and sinker, to use a Muggle phrase.  
  
In a last ditch attempt to cause those beautiful eyes to look at him once again the way they had looked at Snape in the Hall, he caught her mouth in a kiss with a passion that surprised him. He felt her body respond to his, and was overcome with a sudden need to take her. He squelched that initial response and treated her gently and lovingly. He also found himself hoping that *he* would leave well enough alone. Unpleasant things had a tendency to happen when the Dark Lord took over.  
  
Jason asked without words if he could have her, and Patricia gave. She actually gave more willingly than she had ever done, and he entertained the idea that she wasn't going to go to Snape's bed as well later in the night. He felt a surge of hatred for the second time in one night; this time most of it was his own though. He supposed it wasn't entirely Patricia's fault... Snape didn't *have* to comfort her. He decided that Snape was the real reason Voldemort's offer had sounded so good. Revenge on Snape... who wouldn't want that? Of course, he *could* have asked her to go with him. She would have, but she had an uncanny ability to get herself into trouble, and he didn't want to have her get herself killed.  
  
What did she see in that greasy haired bastard? It was easy to see why Snape was in love with Patricia; who wouldn't love those black eyes that glinted like black fire when she was angry? That raven black hair that would be forever tipped with red after a drunken hair-dying attempt with magic when she turned 25; her fiercely dangerous personality... He shivered in anticipation as she ran her fingers through his hair (he had gotten rid of that bloody turban as soon as they had left the Hall. It now lay in a pile by the door) and was making his way down her body with his mouth when he suddenly knew.  
  
*Oh bloody hell* he thought *why now?* He felt the Dark Lord take over, and whispered "I'm sorry" into her hair before he lost total control over his body and mind. Later, when *he* left Jason alone for a while, he would remember what happened and hate himself for it, knowing he probably lost Patricia for good because of it. *He* had taken without asking, and as Patricia felt the change in her bed partner and became more and more unresponsive, what took place could only be categorized as rape.  
  
* * *  
  
She wasn't asleep yet. Good, he could continue to drive her to that traitorous teacher down in the dungeons.  
  
* * *  
  
*Go to sleep Pat!* the part of his mind that Jason still had under control thought frantically. *Believe me, you're going to regret not sleeping. Please hon, just go to sleep!* He knew it was useless; she would be thinking about what had just taken place. *He* pounced on Jason's fear she would go running to Snape any minute now. He felt his body's breathing return to normal. Beside him, Patricia turned over and he heard a sigh escape her. That's when he lost the last bit of control he had.  
  
* * *  
  
He allowed her to think he was asleep. Stupid woman. She could have been a powerful ally as well; Unfortunately, her sense of so-called "good and evil" was drilled too deep into the core of her entire personality to be changed.  
  
"Yes, my Lord," he said to Lord Voldemort. "Of course I will get rid of him." Snape had to go. But when? He couldn't just off the bastard at the start of the school year. Ah yes... when he found *it* he would kill him.  
  
"The woman too" why did he have that feeling of regret when he said that? Of course that black haired, nosy, unfaithful bitch had to go.  
  
"I am truly sorry my Lord" would Voldemort ever forgive him for the botched robbery of Gringotts? It wasn't his fault it had been gone already... but those thoughts were better left hidden.  
  
"The boy will not be a problem" Yes, Potter would probably get in the way at least once. Just like his father, that one.  
  
He felt the woman get out of bed and leave the room.  
  
* * *  
  
*Patricia! No!*  
  
* * *  
  
Quirrell opened his eyes as the door shut. That had gone better than hoped for. She had run like a scared rabbit. He briefly wondered why he had done that, and experienced a short moment of pain. It was quickly gone, with the Dark Lord in possession of the DADA teacher once again... 


	7. Quiet Promises

1 Quiet Promises  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned the HP characters, Patricia would be an actual character, now wouldn't she?  
  
AN: That last chapter took a lot out of me, so if this one isn't as good as past ones, it's because I'm suffering from fanfics drain. I'm really not into this chapter for some reason... I don't know why. Okay, that's not true, but I wasn't into it when I first started it. I hate this! I want to be at the end already! I already have my kick-arse ending written out! Grr!!! Oh, and Sev makes a really stupid comment or two in this chapter. I didn't want him to, but he insisted.  
  
  
  
With a flash of anger, Severus realised that Quirrell had done something horrible. He didn't know what it was, but he would gladly make Quirrell suffer for it. He soothingly caressed the top of the trembling animal's head until she calmed down a bit. He waited until she laid her sleek head on his lap to speak.  
  
"Patricia, it's okay. He's not able to hurt you anymore." She raised her head and looked at him with trusting yellow eyes. He once again marvelled at her smoothness as she changed back into the woman he loved. Getting up, she walked over to his bed and sat down. Following, he sat beside her and put his arms around her. He had seen that look before somewhere... With a start he remembered those same black eyes glinting coldly as they looked at Sirius Black; he remembered them filling up with tears when she told him she and Sirius were no more; he remembered his longing to cheer her up; he remembered the name she had gone by...  
  
"Patricia - or should I say Latisha? - What did he do?" he asked gently. He felt her relax against him like she had never done before, and then heard her answer.  
  
"It was horrible. A stranger took me tonight. That man is not the man I married."  
  
He didn't really want to know, but he knew it would be better if she talked about it.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
"He was so demanding. He wanted so much, and if I didn't give, he just took what he wanted anyway!"  
  
"He raped you?" he asked, his anger mounting. If Quirrell had done that to this sweet, not-so-innocent angel in his arms, he would die a slow and painful death. Many times.  
  
"Not at first," came the quiet reply. "At first I was very willing. It was Jason who was making love to me. But as it went on, something changed. I don't know what, but I *think* I heard him say he was sorry for something. It just... scared me. A lot. It got to the point where I was just pretending. I wasn't making love to my husband, I was letting a stranger have me. I knew something was wrong when I first saw him today... He was talking in his sleep tonight," she finally admitted.  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"Something about getting rid of two people... He was sorry about something... some boy would not be a problem... but I'm probably making something out of nothing."  
  
"Pat - ," he began.  
  
"I love you Severus," she said quietly. There was something in the way she said it that made him look sharply at her.  
  
"I love you with all my heart. You know who I really am - or rather, who I *was* - and you love me still. You are mine, and I... I am yours. Jason lost me the moment he left. I only want you, Severus. Will you have me?" she looked away before he could see the hope in her eyes, but he turned her chin towards him with one gentle hand. He looked deep into her eyes, his mind forcing him to ignore the primal instinct that was making him want to run up to Quirrell's room and stick his tongue out at him.  
  
Ever so gently, he laid her on his bed, careful to not hurt or scare her in any way. He had loved her before, but now loved her even more for her courage to tell him what had happened. He softly touched her lips with his own, smiling gently when he saw the terrified look fade from her eyes.  
  
"It's going to be okay. I'm not going to let him hurt you ever again," he promised. "You're mine, and I'm never going to let you go." Patricia looked up at him and smiled lovingly.  
  
"Sev?" she asked shyly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Suddenly she sneezed, ruining the moment, and making her forget whatever it was she was going to say.  
  
"Sorry about that," she said, trying not to laugh as he wiped his face off. "Didn't expect that to happen."  
  
"Not so perfect after all, are you?" he growled, trying not to smile.  
  
"Sev, you know better than anyone else that I'm not perfect."  
  
"In my eyes you are," he whispered.  
  
"Well, then love is truly blind." She said. "You know the atrocities I've committed."  
  
"You were under Imperious," Severus quickly replied.  
  
"Maybe, but I didn't fight it very hard, now did I? Sev, I enjoyed what I did for a while. If Crouch hadn't believed I was under Imperious, I'd still be in Azkaban."  
  
"Don't talk like that; he did believe you, and you're not in Azkaban," he said, kissing her face gently. He wondered if she would let him have her after what had happened with Quirrell. He seriously doubted it, and was very surprised when he felt her hand undoing the clasp of his robes.  
  
"Show me what real love is, Severus," she whispered as she fumbled with his shirt. He stilled her hands with a searing kiss. Always before he had held back from making her completely his; this time would be different. She belonged to him, legal marriage or not. He was done with sharing. If Quirrell disagreed about it, then the DADA teacher could take it up with the Potions Master. The latter had no problem with that.  
  
A soft moan came from beneath him, and he knew that they were both in for a long, pleasurable night.  
  
* * *  
  
Patricia woke to familiar arms around her, and Severus' familiar smell enveloping her. She opened her eyes to gaze into his.  
  
"Well good morning," he said huskily after her mouth released his.  
  
"What time is it?" she asked.  
  
"6:30. We still have plenty of time before breakfast."  
  
She relaxed as he kissed her again, as her first class wasn't until the afternoon that day.  
  
"That's only an hour, silly," she said, watching him play with her red-tipped locks.  
  
"I know," he replied. "Plenty of time. Have you ever thought about changing these tips to purple?"  
  
"No, why?" she asked.  
  
"No particular reason. I've just always thought that purple is more your color than red."  
  
"Oh... Speaking of purple, I left my robes-"  
  
"Right over there, my dear," Severus said, lazily pointing at the armchair by the fireplace. Over the back was the most beautiful, deepest purple robes Patricia had ever seen.  
  
"Severus, they're beautiful!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Go try them on," he urged. He thrilled as he watched her move across the room and try on the robes. She was just the right size for his tastes. Average, not waif-skinny like some of the women he'd had.  
  
"Pity I have to wear clothes underneath these," she said, delighting in the feel of the silk against her bare skin. She continued her inspection of the robes and gasped in delight when she was the Slytherin crest sewn in emerald green and silver, instead of the usual green.  
  
"Oh Severus!" she said quietly. "I can't accept this."  
  
"Please. Consider it an early Christmas present." He asked her.  
  
"Well," she said, being nearly convinced. He got out of bed, wincing a bit at the cold, and grabbed the bathrobe that was on the floor. Putting it on, he crossed over to where Patricia was standing and embraced her lovingly.  
  
"Please take it," he said again.  
  
"All right. Severus, I - thank you so much!" She kissed him passionately before getting dressed using the clothes she had left in his room once before. Once again putting on the glorious robes, she turned to Severus, who was also now dressed, and together they again walked to the Great Hall.  
  
"You know," she said thoughtfully, "the students are going to start suspecting things if we keep showing up together."  
  
Severus looked at her in amusement. "What do you mean *start* suspecting? Did you not hear any of the rumours that were flying around the castle about us last year? According to the students, we had two children last year, and got married three times."  
  
"Are you serious?" she asked, gaping at him.  
  
"Yes, dear, I'm serious. Now close your mouth. A fly is going to decide to make his home there."  
  
"Oh so you call it a fly now?" she asked impishly. It took him a second to work out what she had meant, and when he did, he turned on her so fast that the disturbed air ruffled her hair. He whispered something in her ear that caused her to break out into peals of laughter and they continued on their way to the Hall.  
  
"Severus," Patricia began quietly. "What do you think has happened to Jason? You must have some idea."  
  
He debated with himself about telling her what he had been thinking about when she had burst into his room earlier, and decided to tell her. It would be easier in the long run if he were truthful.  
  
"Well, I sort of think that he was approached by the Dark Lord." He finally admitted.  
  
"What would Old Voldie want with Jason though?" she asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. I have the feeling that we hurt Jason more than he let on. I mean, I know we hurt him, it's obvious. A woman can't sleep with another man without her husband getting hurt, but I think he was hurt to his core. And *that* must be what Old Voldie preyed on. He must have given Jason an offer that was too good to pass up in the state he was in."  
  
Patricia bowed her head and Severus glanced down at her. He didn't miss the tear that dropped to the floor, and didn't take her into his arms; he knew that doing so would just make her feel worse.  
  
"So I basically drove him to Voldemort is what you're saying," she said, her voice filled with self-punishment. "I knew I should have just left him."  
  
Severus stopped and grabbed her arm. "No," he said. "You didn't drive him to Voldemort. I was at least half to blame for it. Most likely more than half to blame. I knew that you were happily married to him, and yet after he left, I took every opportunity that came my way to cause you to fall in love with me."  
  
"But you didn't leave me!!!" Patricia said, suddenly fierce. "He left me to go wandering, and didn't even ask me to go with him! I *know* I probably would have gotten myself killed. I *know* I attract trouble 'like no other'! But that's not the point! He could have asked me to go! Instead he left me here, fully expecting me to be here when he got back! *You* were here for me when he wasn't! You, not him! So don't go blaming yourself. It's his fault and mine. I should have left him instead of trying to have it both ways. I just wish I could have chosen between you two before now."  
  
They had reached the doors to the Hall, and could hear the students beginning to come down the corridor to breakfast. Severus looked at her and could see all the pain the whole situation had put upon her.  
  
"Marry me." He said, surprising himself.  
  
"What?" she asked, clearly astonished.  
  
"Marry me. Then you don't have to beat yourself up over this anymore."  
  
"I can't! I'm still married to Jason, whether I like it or not! I - I love you so much, Severus, but... I can't. I just can't. I'm sorry."  
  
"I understand," he replied. "I don't even know why I asked you that."  
  
Patricia didn't want their relationship changed any because of that question, so she reached up and brought his mouth down to hers. She gently kissed him before the kids entered the corridor, and they entered the Great Hall totally unaware that although they weren't married legally, anyone who looked at them could see their souls had been married. Patricia glanced at the staff table, and could see Dumbledore smiling at them gently, while Jason glared at the both of them. There was no longer any love in his eyes when he looked at her, only hate. Patricia felt a twinge of almost unbearable sadness when she saw the hate, and then remembered she had brought it upon herself by falling in love with Severus. Her eyes happened to meet Minerva's, and Minerva smiled supportively at her.  
  
The past year had found Patricia in Minerva's office more times than not, pouring her heart out to the older woman over a cup of tea. Minerva had always listened to the younger witch. Just listened, not given advice unless specifically asked for it. In return, the older woman had found a friendship that would not be broken by anything. Tonight would find Minerva in Dumbledore's office discussing the triangle that seemed to be manifesting between Patricia, Jason Quirrell, and Severus Snape. Patricia looked as if she had made a painful decision, Severus looked as if he wished he could take back the past hour, and Jason looked ready to kill them both. Why, she couldn't imagine, when he could leave Patricia as easily as she could leave him, but she supposed it would all be resolved in time. Minerva had to swallow a laugh as Patricia pulled a goofy face at her, and hoped the young woman would dine with her that morning. Meals with Patricia were never boring.  
  
As hoped, Patricia plopped down in the chair beside Minerva and looked at the older woman.  
  
"You plop very nicely, dear," Minerva couldn't resist saying.  
  
"Thanks! I've been practicing for years!" was the reply. "Sooo... And then there was silence..."  
  
"You're a goof, Pat," Minerva said fondly, and was rewarded with a totally fake, utterly bright smile.  
  
"This looks like my cooking, you know," Pat said suddenly. Minerva choked on the mouthful of eggs she had just taken. It was well known that Patricia couldn't cook worth a hoot.  
  
"What?" she asked innocently when Patricia laughingly glared at her.  
  
"Quit dissing my cooking."  
  
"Dissing?" Minerva asked, confused.  
  
"Sorry, Muggle term that I picked up over the summer. Quit insulting my cooking! I make a mean pot of boiling water, you know!" At that, Minerva couldn't contain her laughter any longer and it took her a good two minutes to calm down.  
  
"What? I'm innocent! I swear, it wasn't me who pushed Fawkes into the lake the other day!" Dumbledore looked at Patricia with an amused grin.  
  
"I had wondered how he got all wet," he said.  
  
"Seriously, for some reason he decided to stick to my shoulder, and he wouldn't get off, so I had to take him swimming with me!"  
  
"And the fact that he's mine didn't discourage you in the least, did it?"  
  
"Of course not! Vandalizing your property makes it so much more fun just because it's yours! Vandalizing Minerva's stuff isn't nearly as fun!  
  
Dumbledore looked at Patricia and smiled again, while Minerva had to control her laughter again. Some of the students were looking at the staff table with odd looks on their faces. Patricia caught the eye of one of the Slytherin fifth years, and showed him what was in her mouth. The entire Slytherin table burst into laughter with the rest of the House tables looking at them with odd looks. Breakfast proceeded with Patricia looking innocently at Dumbledore before chucking a hash brown at him. 


	8. Final Decision?

Final Decision?  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing in here but Patricia. The line "Together you make the perfect man" I ripped off of the movie Bandits. Good movie if you want to see a movie with an actual plot line ruined by romance.  
  
AN: I know it's taken me forever to post this chapter, but… I have no excuse. I've been lazy, and I apologize.  
  
  
  
"Well, that was productive!" Patricia remarked as she and Severus left the Hall after the meal was done.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he asked in amazement. "All you did was sit there cracking dirty jokes with Albus."  
  
"And your point is…" she asked.  
  
"Screw it. You're obviously in a mood and will refuse to listen to sense all day, right?"  
  
"Who, me?" she asked innocently.  
  
"Yes, Professor. You. Stop acting like you did when you were 18."  
  
"Why? I didn't have any problems when I was 18! Why can't I have that again? Is it too much to ask for? One day where I don't have to feel guilty about choosing my lover over my husband? Why don't you just forget it? I have a lesson to plan, if you don't mind."  
  
He watched stonily as she turned and stormed towards her office, resisting the urge to run after her. Why had he said that? If he weren't careful, he would drive her right back to Quirrell. He turned and went the opposite direction, heading for his office. Neither had noticed Albus Dumbledore watching them. He had hoped something like this would happen. True, something about Jason Quirrell was different, but he had been gone for a year. He was bound to be a little different from when he left. Patricia needed to spend more time with him than just one night before choosing whom she loved more. He smiled grimly as he thought of the confrontation that should be taking place right… about...now…  
  
* * *  
  
The Dark Lord decided at breakfast that she had gone to Snape too quickly. He would leave Quirrell alone for a while so he could make amends. It would be so much more fun to break Quirrell and his wife apart when Snape wasn't as much of a problem.  
  
What fun!!!  
  
* * *  
  
Jason found Patricia in her office reading.  
  
"Lord of the Rings?" he asked without thinking.  
  
"Muggle classic," she replied.  
  
"Patricia, I… I'm sorry about last night," he said hesitantly.  
  
"What happened, Jason? One minute it was you making love to me, and the next… well, we both know what happened next."  
  
He remained at the doorway; he wouldn't enter until she invited him in.  
  
"Patricia, when I was gone, I had some very strange experiences. Once or twice I was… well, I was possessed, and the witches I went to for help weren't very good," he explained, thinking fast.  
  
"Then why did you go to them?"  
  
"Because they were the only ones around."  
  
"Jason, it's going to take a while for me to trust you again. We both know that I don't trust easily. How do I know that it won't happen again?"  
  
"Because I went to Dumbledore this morning," he lied.  
  
"Jason, do you love me?" she asked, getting up and smoothing her robes. She crossed the room to him and stood before him.  
  
"Of course I do!"  
  
"Then why did you look at me with such hate? At breakfast, I mean." Patricia wasn't sure if she *wanted* to know the answer, but she knew she *needed* to know.  
  
"Because it would appear that you've chosen Snape over me."  
  
"And you hate me because of that?" she asked, incredulous.  
  
"Don't you hate yourself because of it?" he snapped, unable to keep the hurt out of his voice.  
  
"No," she said quietly but forcefully. "No. I hate myself for getting myself into the situation where I had to choose between you and him."  
  
"He gave you those, didn't he?" Jason asked, meaning the robes.  
  
"Yes. Why?"  
  
"The suit you very well," he admitted gruffly. Here she was, looking more beautiful than he could remember ever seeing her, except for the day they were married, and she was dressed in robes that *Snape* had given her. Where was the justice? He loved her with all his heart; what had happened was not his fault. But how could he explain that to her?  
  
"Patricia," he began, not sure how to continue. "Patricia, I love you. I would hope that you could find it in your heart to forgive me and give me another chance. But if you can't, and decide that you *do* love Snape more, then… I understand. If your decision is final, then tell me now and I'll go tell Severus and admit defeat."  
  
Patricia stared at him for a moment before bursting into tears as the events of the past day and a half came crashing down on her.  
  
"No," she sobbed before throwing herself into his arms. "No, don't! I thought I had this morning, but I was wrong. Jason, I don't know who to choose! He's dark and mysterious, and you're open and loving… together you're the perfect man! I just can't choose between you two, Jason."  
  
"So don't choose. Not yet, anyway," he said quietly, surprising them both.  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked.  
  
"Well, why don't you wait till you get to know me again? I *have* been gone for a year."  
  
"Are you sure? That's not – that just… I don't know, Jason…"  
  
"I'm serious. You don't have to choose yet. You can sleep with whichever one of us you want."  
  
Bloody hell, that hurt to say to her. But he loved her enough that he didn't want to see her like this. He pulled away from her and looked into her eyes… eyes that had lost their suspicion and fear. There was mistrust there, yes. He full expected to see that. Jason didn't even trust *himself* any more.  
  
Well… if you're sure…" Patricia said uncertainly. She wanted to trust him, but didn't know if she should or not.  
  
Jason nodded.  
  
"Positive," he told her. She touched his face and softly touched her lips to his.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
  
"Any time," he replied, gently wiping away the remainder of her tears. Now to tell Snape…  
  
* * *  
  
"Absolutely not!" the furious Potions Master snarled at Quirrell. "She's mine! I refuse to share her with you and risk her becoming too terrified to approach me in human form again! I swore last night I'd protect her, and I will! She's not yours anymore, Quirrell. You had your chance and screwed it up. Now *I* have to fix your mistakes. Now *I* have to try and find the Latisha Eston I used to know. That young woman disappeared the day she married you."  
  
"Maybe the reason she was too terrified to approach you in human form was because you're a slimy bastard, and she knows it. Maybe you scare her," Quirrell remarked calmly.  
  
"*I* scare her? I don't think so! If I scare her so much, how come it was me she came to last night when *you* hurt her?"  
  
"It was, and still is, her choice," Quirrell shot back. "You don't own her; she's a person, not a thing."  
  
"She used to be a Slytherin!" Snape growled, completely ignoring the other man's words. "Now, she's… she's more *Gryffindor* than Slytherin! All because of you!"  
  
"She was never a true Slytherin," Quirrell remarked. "She was never conniving or nasty enough. To this day I have wondered why the Sorting Hat placed her in with you and Lucius Malfoy."  
  
Snape arched an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Oh really?" he asked. "Then why, pray tell, did she change her first name? Of did she never tell you that? Did you never wonder why she wakes up in the middle of the night screaming? Did you never wonder why she never gave you any children, even though you were together five years before you married the poor girl? And you've been married another three years, so that makes it eight years of no children… you never wondered?" Snape asked gleefully. He, of course, knew the answers to all the questions he had asked. He was sure Quirrell *had* wondered, but was equally sure he had never asked out of a warped sense of love.  
  
"If she had wanted to tell me, she would have," the other man said quietly. He *wasn't* going to let Snape get to him.  
  
"But isn't one of the main good points of a loving relationship the ability to tell one's spouse everything? Why did she not tell you?" Snape asked venomously.  
  
"Because she felt it was none of my business. She told me about *you*, didn't she?" Quirrell responded just as venomously. "She loved me enough to tell me about you because she didn't want me to be hurt."  
  
"Jason Quirrell, you are more dense than I thought. If she had wanted to keep you from getting hurt, then she wouldn't have allowed me to make love to her in the first place. Because that's what I do. I don't have sex with you wife, I make love to her. I love her for who she is, not because my parents forced me to marry her. I treat her like the Lady she is. Which is more than I can say about you."  
  
"You wouldn't know what love is if it came and bit you in the arse!" Jason said, losing control of his temper. "I know she wouldn't have slept with scum like yourself if she hadn't felt *something* for you. Be it love she feels or pity, I don't know, but she felt something. Listen. I don't like this any more than you do, but I'm willing to do this for Patricia. Will you?"  
  
"I will do it for Latisha, the Slytherin woman I've loved since the Sorting," Snape growled as if daring Quirrell to argue with him.  
  
"Fine, whatever. Just do it for her."  
  
Snape only sneered in response and Quirrell knew the Potions Master had agreed. He left Snape's office as quickly as dignity would allow him, wanting only to go to his office and have a stiff drink. He had first year Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw that afternoon, however, so the drink would have to wait. Bloody hell was that man difficult to deal with. 


	9. The Argument

1 The First Argument  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I own no one but Patricia.  
  
  
  
AN: I have to admit that the ending to this chapter isn't very good. I didn't know how to end it, but the next chapter, which I will post ASAP is coming along very well in its development. Thanks for sticking with it you guys!  
  
  
  
  
  
Patricia stayed away from Severus as much as she could that day. She didn't want to have to face him and see his reaction to what Jason had told him. All she knew is that he would be VERY angry, and probably wouldn't speak to her civilly for the next three days. But at the same time, she needed to see him. She needed to try and explain her feelings to him. She couldn't bear the thought of him being angry with her, and so it was with much trepidation that she approached his office door that evening after dinner. She knocked on his door tentatively, and flinched when the door opened on its own. Walking in, she stopped a few feet into the room to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Yes, he was definitely angry. He never sat in darkness anymore unless he was angry. Her courage failed her for a moment, and she sank to the floor, seriously considering flight. Before she was given a chance, a candle was lit and she looked up into the face of Severus Snape. The very cold very impassive face of Severus Snape. He lifted an eyebrow when their eyes met, and for a moment she was back in their third year when she had told him she had hit Malfoy. The argument that had ensued had been heard through the entire castle. She steeled herself for the argument that was sure to be coming. She got up off the floor; she preferred to be on eye level when she argued with him. Somehow it made him seem less intimidating.  
  
"Severus," she said.  
  
"Professor," he returned. Professor. Oh, this was going to be bad. She nodded and assumed the same formal tone as he.  
  
"Professor Snape, we need to talk," she said to him.  
  
"Yes indeed. One of our students was caught trying to hex a Hufflepuff. We must decide whether to give her a weeks worth of detentions, or two weeks worth." So, he was going to play this game, was he? Well, she could play it just as well.  
  
"One week. If we give her two, then she may never hex someone again, and we both know how handy hexes can be. Now, what about Professor McGonagalls subtraction of seventy-five points today? What was that all about?"  
  
"Oh, nothing important," Severus said offhandedly.  
  
"Severus," she growled. He looked at her and raised that eyebrow at her again. It was all she could do to not turn into the panther and disembowel him. That would have just encouraged him though, so she restrained herself. He turned and walked through the dark room, leaving her at the door. She knew she was being stubborn, but she wouldn't follow him until he asked her to.  
  
"Coming?" he asked when he looked back and saw that she wasn't following him. She narrowed her eyes and took a careful step forward. There had been many times in the past where she had tripped over something lying on the dark floor, and she didn't want to do it tonight. Normally he was an immaculate man, but his office was the one place he allowed to become messy. He said the mess allowed him to think clearly, whereas his tidy rooms didn't. Patricia thought that he was just too lazy to clean up the piles of parchment that were strewn about the room. She smiled fondly, recalling the night those same piles became messy. That was a memorable night indeed.  
  
"Severus, what was the seventy-five point subtraction about?" she asked again, following him to his desk. He sat behind it, and just to piss him off, she sat on the surface of it. With a flick of her wand she lit the candles so she could see who she was talking to. He blinked a few times to adjust his eyes to the sudden light, and she narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
"I'm the Co-Head of Slytherin House. I have a right to know. Why did we lose so many points today?" she asked. He looked at her silently before finally answering.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy's boy did something to the Potter boy. I don't know what." He said. It was Patricia's turn to raise an eyebrow at him. She didn't know whether to believe him or not.  
  
"I *don't* know," he said, seemingly reading her mind. She accepted his words with a shrug.  
  
"Are you done here?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.  
  
"No, I'm not. We have to talk about *us*, Severus," she said.  
  
"There is no more *us*," he replied coldly. "If you're going to choose him, then you and I are finished."  
  
"Severus," she said in exasperation. "You know that if I could make a decision you would be the first to know."  
  
"Last night I assumed that you had chosen me. You seemed to have made a decision. What changed, Latisha, what changed?" She flinched at the sound of her given name, and looked at the floor before answering.  
  
"I don't know, Severus. I don't know what changed. I mean, at breakfast I was hurting because I had chosen you over him, and then we had that tiff in the corridor… He came to my office while I was reading. It was *him*, Severus. The man who came to my office was the Jason Quirrell I married. He was truly sorry about last night. He even offered me an explanation. I'm not sure if I totally believe him, but it's better than nothing."  
  
"If you don't believe him, then why go back to him?" Severus asked quietly.  
  
"Because I married him. I gave up my freedom for him - " she began.  
  
"No. You had no choice in the matter of your marriage to him. Your parents would have gotten their way eventually." Severus cut in.  
  
"What do you know about that?" she asked bitterly. "So my marriage to him was arranged. Big deal. You make it sound like I wasn't even supposed to fall in love with the man."  
  
"Latisha," he began.  
  
"Don't call me that! That part of my life is over, Severus!" she said suddenly.  
  
"Your name is Latisha, and that is what I will call you from now on. Will you please let me finish? Thank you," he said when she nodded. "You *weren't* supposed to fall in love with him. You were originally supposed to be married to me, but Quirrell's parents begged your parents to betroth you to him instead. Your mother wasn't happy about it, but your father saw no harm in it, so it was done."  
  
"I was supposed to be married to you?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Yes. You were supposed to be Latisha Tatiana Snape."  
  
"Oh. But…" she trailed off as she looked at him.  
  
"Latisha, why did you agree to his suggestion? You know you can do better than him. You belong to me now. I'm not going to let you go." Her eyes flashed and he mentally cursed himself for making a declaration of possession of her.  
  
"I belong to no one. I'm not a *thing*, I'm a member of one of the most distinguished wizarding families in the United Kingdom. Don't you *ever* say I belong to you. I belong to no one but myself."  
  
"Yes, your Ladyship," he said mockingly. She glared at him, knowing full well she was being mocked. "Well, your Lordship," she returned just as mockingly, "What do you intend on doing to get me back?"  
  
"Well, my Lady, according to your husband, the worm that he is, you are playing both sides right now. Correct?"  
  
"Correct…" she said warily.  
  
"I'm going to do absolutely nothing to get you back. If you can't even make the simple decision of whom you love more, then you don't deserve me."  
  
"Severus, you said that you wouldn't let him hurt me."  
  
"What does that have to do with anything? If a Lady of your stature cannot leave her so-called husband, then why would I want to marry into your family? I do believe I am *glad* his parents changed the arrangement. I wouldn't marry you if you begged and pleaded, and threatened me with Cruatious."  
  
"Fine then. If that's the way you want to play it, my Lord, you can just take everything I've ever given you, and shove it up your ass." Patricia said. "I as well am glad that Jason's parents changed it. If this is the way you are, I'd hate to meet your father. Would you like me to kiss your feet?"  
  
"No, you can go kiss your 'husbands' feet," Severus said offhandedly.  
  
"Would you quit insulting my husband!" Patricia snarled. "Yes, my marriage to him may have been arranged by our parents. But I wasn't forced to fall in love with him."  
  
"Even though he as good as raped you last night?" Severus said spitefully.  
  
"Yes! He told me why that happened! Now, why I fell in love with *you* of all people I don't know. Maybe Jason's right and it wasn't love I felt. Maybe it *was* just pity." She put emphasis on the past tense, knowing she would regret it later. His face went pale, and his eyes narrowed as he caught the tense she had used.  
  
"Fine," he said menacingly. "Fine. If you want to be that way, then maybe it wasn't love *I* felt for you. Maybe it was… hope that we could put things for our families back to the way they were supposed to be. Fuck it, Latisha, get out of my sight. Get out of my office, stay out of my rooms, and get the hell out of my heart. I wish I could never see you again. Go back to your husband. I hope you're very happy for the rest of your life. Stay out of my life as much as possible. Get out."  
  
Patricia stared at him angrily. How dare he tell her what to do?  
  
"No problem, my Lord Snape. I will gladly leave your office, your rooms, and most definitely your heart. You do the same for me you slimy bastard."  
  
And with that she turned and stormed out of his office, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay. She couldn't believe she had spoken to him like that. Instead of following the corridor to her room, she turned to go outside. She sat on the steps of the school and cried like she hadn't done for a long time. She had felt heartbreak before, but this… this was worse. This was the most painful thing she had ever felt. She knew it was her fault he had said those words to her, but that didn't cause the anger she felt towards him to diminish in any way. She stood up, not bothering to dry her face, transformed into an eagle, and launched into the air. She hovered above Hogwarts for a moment before letting a defiant cry pierce the night air and flew towards her father's home. A voice at the back of her mind dryly commented that running away would solve nothing, but she quieted it. Dumbledore would have heard that cry. If not him, then certainly Fawkes. The phoenix would in turn alert Dumbledore to the situation and the appropriate steps could be taken by the Headmaster.  
  
* * *  
  
Severus watched her go with a look very much like pain in his eyes. Once she was gone, he flicked his wand, and the door shut with a slam. At the same time the candles she had lit went out. He sank down onto the floor and put his head into his hands. Why had he said those things to her? He didn't want her out of his life. But when she had said *was*, his control had snapped. He *knew* something had happened to Quirrell. He *knew* the man was untrustworthy. And yet he had succeeded in driving her right back to him. At the same time, though, he had been glad to see her go. If she was willing to go back to Quirrell, then he wasn't sure he wanted her to be the mother of his children. He looked up as the his door opened unexpectedly. Albus Dumbledore was standing in the doorway with a candle held out.  
  
"Severus?" he asked. Severus nodded as the older wizard walked into the office. "Something has happened that you ought to be aware of."  
  
"What?" he mumbled.  
  
"Latisha has left Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, surprising Severus.  
  
"What? How?" he asked in astonishment.  
  
"She transformed into an eagle and flew off. Fawkes heard her call and understood her words. He alerted me, and I've already told Professor Quirrell. We don't know where she's gone. We thought she'd head to her father, but he told me he hasn't seen her, nor had any thoughts from her. Severus, I need to ask what happened."  
  
"I told her to fuck off," Severus admitted.  
  
"Severus, my dear boy, is that all?" Dumbledore asked. When Severus looked up at him, he chuckled. "If that's all… but it's not, is it? You two fought, didn't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Severus, do you know why you two fight so gloriously when you *do* fight?" When Severus shook his head, Dumbledore pulled up a chair. "Would you like to know why?" he asked, sitting down.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I hope you have an open mind then. Some of what I will tell you is fairly hard to believe. *I* have a hard time believing it sometimes, and I played a big part in the story." Dumbledore settled back in his chair and prepared to tell the story that he had kept secret for the last 30 years. 


	10. The Secret

1 The Secret  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Same as always. Patricia / Latisha's mine, the Estons are mine, Sirius' mother's, Snapes parents' and Quirrells' parents first names are mine. Well, not mine, but I named them.  
  
  
  
AN: I said that this chapter was coming along well, but then I got distracted by the Metatron. My bad! *grins impishly* Oh yeah. This one is written like it's actually happening. Kinda like we're seeing what's happening when it's happening. Oh, I don't know how to explain it! Just read! :-)  
  
  
  
  
  
Albus Dumbledore Apparated to the boundaries of the Eston Estate. He smiled half-heartedly at the sound of Raymond Estons dogs barking playfully. He opened the gate of the 150 – acre estate, and walked in. The weather today was perfect. A cool breeze relieved the heat from the sun, and in the distance Albus could see the Eston horses galloping by the shore of the pond that was on the property. Lanaya would be pleased. What a day for her daughter to be born on. He reached the door of the impressive yet inviting mansion and raised his hand to knock. The door flew open and he found himself staring into the excited eyes of Lanaya Eston. She threw her arms around Albus, albeit rather awkwardly, and whispered,  
  
"Today's the day!" She pulled back and allowed Albus to enter the cool building. She led him to the living room where her husband Raymond, Alexander and Tatiana Snape, and a big black dog sat. Albus nodded to the dog and watched in hidden fascination as it shifted into Amarila Black, the woman who had become the mother of a prankster named Sirius. His eyes met the black eyes of a very pregnant Tatiana Snape, and she smiled at him in true friendship. He bowed to her with great respect and turned to her husband. He stood a moment, assessing Alexander's ability to be a father. The man would definitely provide for his son, although the boy would have to look to Tatiana for his emotional needs to be filled. Alexander stood up with his hand held out and Albus grasped it firmly in his own before turning to Raymond Eston. The current Lord of the Eston family gazed back at Albus with those blue eyes that would not be passed down to the child in his wife's womb. The child would have her mother's black eyes. Raymond sat back down beside his wife and Albus went to the chair that had been placed for him.  
  
"My Lords and Ladies," he began. "It has been brought to my attention that you all have been approached by Lana Quirrell, with the request to allow the Lady Eston's daughter to the Lady Quirrell's son." Amarila stirred uneasily in her seat and looked disgusted.  
  
"What do you wish to do about this, my Lord and Lady Snape?" Tatiana looked at her husband before she spoke.  
  
"We would that t be our son who is betrothed to the Lady Eston's daughter."  
  
"My Lord and Lady Eston?" Albus asked, well aware that the two Eston's viewpoints were different. Lanaya opened her mouth as if to speak, but when she glanced at her husband, she closed it and let him speak.  
  
"We would that our daughter be betrothed to the Quirrell boy," he said firmly, drawing a gasp from Tatiana and a growl of displeasure from Alexander. Amarila rolled her eyes in further disgust and made to say something, but Albus quieted her with a gesture. "Yes, the Quirrell family would do quite well to receive our daughter in marriage-"  
  
"Our daughter is not a *thing* that is to be passed around!" Lanaya said forcefully, cutting off her husband. Alexander looked at the black haired, black eyed beauty, respect for her growing in his eyes. It was now known that the Lady Eston did not agree with her husbands choice, but would allow the breaking of a standing tradition if it pleased him.  
  
"Lanaya," Tatiana said quietly. "Would it be that you do not agree with your husband in this matter?"  
  
"Yes, it would be. I do *not* agree with this. Our daughter was betrothed to your son by my grandparents. We do not have the right to break that agreement," She said forcefully, looking at her husband. He looked back at her blandly and smiled grimly.  
  
"It's happening, Lanaya. There's nothing you or anyone else in this room can do about it. I've signed the agreement with Andrew Quirrell already. The agreement is binding, and nothing short of the child's death with stop my daughter and his son from marrying when they come of age." Lanaya narrowed her eyes and bowed her head, and Raymond rose and left the room. Albus raised an eyebrow at Alexander and the other man curled his lip.  
  
"I'm not surprised that Andrew would do this. You do know why he's doing it, don't you?" he asked.  
  
"To get to you," Amarila said quietly. She raised her eyes and looked at the two distraught mothers – to – be and smiled gently. "Do not worry, my dears. Lana won't get her claws into the lives within you that easily."  
  
"What do you mean?" Lanaya asked uneasily.  
  
"Albus and I can bind the souls of the two unborn children to each other so that although your daughter has to marry *her* son, she will always love the Snape child."  
  
"But how will that work? No doubt the two will be both placed in Slytherin. They won't be able to stay away from each other," Tatiana said doubtfully. Amarila smiled and closed her eyes.  
  
"The spell that would bind them, should you agree, would be worked so that their love won't surface until they were both of an age of your choice. The girl may be married to the Quirrell boy physically, but her soul and heart will belong to the Snape boy," Albus took over.  
  
"Would it work on my daughter though?" Lanaya asked. "We all know she's not entirely human. Would a spell of that magnitude work on a descendant of a Dryad?" Albus nodded towards Amarila.  
  
"This is her field," he said.  
  
"It would work," Amarila said firmly. I would not suggest it if it wouldn't work. By the time the girl reaches whatever age you choose for the spell to complete, she will be mature enough so that she can choose between the two men. Have you decided on a name for the boy?" she asked suddenly.  
  
"Severus," Tatiana said looking at her husband firmly. He looked at her a moment before smiling tolerantly and nodding.  
  
"As you wish, my wife," he said.  
  
"So your son's name is Severus. The Quirrell boy is to be named Jason. What is your daughter to be named?" Amarila asked a very pale Lanaya.  
  
"Latisha," she whispered. "Latisha. I have gotten the feeling that she will change it before she turns 25, but her given name will be Latisha." Amarila nodded solemnly at Lanaya and tuned once again towards Tatiana. "In order for the spell to work, the girl's middle name must be the first name of her mate's mother. Is that all right with you?" Tatiana cocked her head and thought about it, finally nodding.  
  
"So, my daughter's name will be Latisha Tatiana Snape?" Lanaya asked quietly. Amarila looked at the young woman and crossed the room to her.  
  
"Yes. Is this what you want? They won't be married physically when they come of age, but your daughter *will* be married to Severus…"  
  
"Morgan," Alexander said when Amarila looked at him.  
  
"Severus Morgan Snape. It works. Anyway, Latisha Tatiana Eston will be married to Severus Morgan Snape eventually. Is this what you really want?"  
  
Lanaya looked up at Amarila and then looked across the room at Tatiana.  
  
"I'm sure," she whispered firmly. "My daughter will be married to their son, be it sooner or later." Tatiana smiled at Lanaya and nodded her thanks.  
  
"Then it shall be done," Albus said, standing up.  
  
"Oh, my, it certainly shall," Lanaya said suddenly. "When does it need to be done?"  
  
"Before the babies are born," Amarila said.  
  
"Then we'd best get on with it, hadn't we?" Albus and Amarila looked at each other and smiled. They hadn't worked together in years.  
  
* * *  
  
Four hours and one screaming baby girl later, Alexander and Tatiana left the Eston Estate for the last time, content that although Latisha Tatiana Eston would be betrothed to Jason Quirrell, she would belong to and marry their own son. Tatiana placed a hand on her belly and felt the baby kick furiously at having his newly formed bond to Latisha stretched apart. *Just like his father, this one will be* Tatiana thought, fondly looking at the man she was proud to call her husband.  
  
* * *  
  
Albus and Amarila looked at each other as they left the Eston Estate an hour after the Snapes had departed.  
  
"And that, my friend, is why I much prefer talking to Tatiana or Alexander Snape than Raymond Eston," Amarila said with a shudder. The spell had been successfully cast upon the two unborn children, and Latisha had screamed like a banshee when Tatiana and Alexander had left (thus taking her bond-mate with them).  
  
"And I as well," Albus replied.  
  
"Did it work, Albus?" Amarila asked quietly.  
  
"I think so. Those two children will be with each other for their entire lives. They will never be able to stay apart. They'll hardly ever fight though."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because, my dear girl, they will love each other beyond normal comprehension without knowing it. That spell we just worked is very old and very delicate. When Latisha screeched like that, I knew we had been successful."  
  
"All right, old man, but you didn't explain to me why they'll hardly ever fight," Amarila said teasingly. Albus looked at her tolerantly and smiled.  
  
"Okay, okay. In Latisha's eyes, Severus will never be wrong, and so she'll agree with him no matter what. In Severus' eyes, Latisha will never be wrong, and he will agree with her. It's rather hard to explain my dear. Now, it'll cause a few tiffs, but they won't argue unless one of them does something that the other cannot deny is wrong or stupid. Unfortunately it will be Latisha who does the things that cause the few fights they have, but her Dryad blood will not allow her to accept that Severus will be right in those circumstances. During these few times, her very diluted Dryad blood will take control and she will make more stupid choices until she makes one choice that is so stupid not even *she* will be able to deny the stupidity. Those two will protect each other with their very lives, even if they have other romantic interests at the time. I hope for your sake that your son does not give her or Severus reason to be angry. Together those two will either cause utter and total chaos, or… well…"  
  
"Lanaya *is* the mother of Latisha. You really think she won't cause chaos? And Severus? He has the two people who were in detention most often when we were in school for parents. Albus, it's times like this when I am so glad I'm not the Headmistress of Hogwarts. I don't envy you one bit," Amarila said.  
  
"Okay, so they'll cause utter chaos. I'll get through it. I hope."  
  
"I have faith in you Albus," she said. "What else is there, Albus? Something's bothering you. What is it?"  
  
"Well, I'm not sure, but I think that Lord Eston isn't Latisha's biological father."  
  
"Well who else would it be?" Amarila asked in shock.  
  
"Armadas Malfoy."  
  
"That Lucius brat's uncle?"  
  
"Yes. Lanaya always did have an attraction to him, and the cold intelligence that I saw in Latisha's eyes when she was born came from neither Lanaya nor Raymond. Between the three, I've only seen that degree of intelligence in Armadas. Yes, this spell we just wove was definitely woven around the right children. Severus will have both of his parents' cold, impartial, calculating intelligence. Latisha will have the characteristics of a Malfoy, since biologically she is one, and she will also receive the Dryad cunning from her mother. What a pair they will be. And the children they will eventually produce!"  
  
"You're a nut, Dumbledore," Amarila said fondly, shifting back into the black dog. Albus nodded his farewell to her and she turned and loped away towards her own home. Albus continued out the gate and Disapparated back to Hogsmede. He had a lot of preparation to do, and he only had eleven years before Severus and Latisha would be waiting to be sorted. Into the same House, of course… 


	11. The Mad Bird

1 The Mad (Crazy) Bird  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in this except for Patricia / Latisha.  
  
  
  
AN: Okay, I know it's a weird title, but it works. You'll see why I called this that. Um, I still don't know where Pat's gone, but I think I've got a good idea. I'll let you know later on in the chapter! I don't know what else to say about this chapter other than… which came first? The Halloween Feast or the Gryffindor / Slytherin match? I don't have the first book, and I kind of forget which comes first *cringes*  
  
  
  
  
  
Severus Snape stared at Albus Dumbledore in astonishment. Finally he shook his head and let out a long breath.  
  
"She's a Malfoy? As in related to Lucius and Draco Malfoy?"  
  
"Cousin and second cousin respectively. Neither Lucius nor Draco are aware of this, and Pat – er, Latisha's not supposed to know either, but I think she figured it out a while ago. I finally confronted her mother about it, and Lanaya admitted that the girl belonged to Armadas. Raymond Eston didn't know, although I caught him looking at Latisha oddly a few times. I don't know if he ever did find out or not. She's the daughter of one of the most ruthless and cold – hearted men on the planet, and yet she is one of the most merciful and kind women I know. She has her moments when she's like her father though; she wouldn't have been Sorted into Slytherin – even with my intervention – without those moments."  
  
"Lucius?"  
  
"Yes, Severus, she's related to Lucius."  
  
"Ew! That's just wrong, Albus. I've bedded a Malfoy." Severus couldn't seem to get the fact that the woman he loved was a *Malfoy*.  
  
"Severus, does she *look* like a Malfoy? Does she *act* like a Malfoy?"  
  
"No, but she doesn't act like an Eston, either! I had always thought she was too… cunning to be an Eston, but I thought that maybe her mother had been in Slytherin or something," Severus said.  
  
"She's not really an Eston; that's why she doesn't act like one. She was raised as a member of the Eston family, but her father's a Malfoy, and her mother's Dryad blood flows through her veins. She hasn't been an Eston or a Malfoy since the day she was born."  
  
"She's older than me," Severus whispered, a mischievous glint coming into his eyes.  
  
"Only by a day, Severus. It won't make much impact on her if you tease her about it."  
  
"Why did you come to me about this? I can't help you find her. I told her to get out of my life!" Severus looked at the older man and quickly looked away.  
  
"Severus, just because you told her to get out of your life… do you really think, after everything I've told you, that you two can possibly stay away from each other? You think it was an accident that the mad bird she insists on using for her mail-"  
  
"It's not a mad bird, Albus, it's a falcon." Severus cut in.  
  
"That mad bird she uses for mail nearly took your head off. It wasn't an accident Severus," Albus said, causing the younger man to remember the day that he had been nearly decapitated by a mad falcon that was hell – bent on catching his attention. He had finally managed to calm the stupid thing and had written an especially biting letter to the bird's owner. She had responded in the same way, and the two had continued corresponding like that, each without realizing who the other was, for the better part of a year. When they had found out each other's identities, their correspondence just became more biting. Severus hadn't seen Latisha for the better part of 6 years, although he had thought of her often. He hadn't known that the reason her crazy bird was at Hogwarts was because she was applying for the Ancient Runes position until she showed up the next September. He, of course, had been the first person to see her aside from the Headmaster.  
  
"I know it wasn't an accident," he said, returning to the present. "She had specifically told it to find me and give me a haircut or something equally annoying." Albus smiled tolerantly. Severus' hair had always annoyed Latisha, although she had hidden it well.  
  
"So why did you come to me about this? I don't know where she's gone," Severus said.  
  
"I came to you because you're the only person in the school who has a hope of finding her. You two *do* have a bond that is stronger than anything."  
  
"I don't know how to use it, though," came the quiet reply.  
  
"Severus, I don't know how to use it either. Think of her… Think *to* her… Just try. Please. We desperately need her back."  
  
Severus looked into those blue eyes and felt his stubborn streak taking over. By *we*, Albus probably meant –  
  
"I mean to say that you and I need her. Professor Quirrell needs her too, but you need her more than any." Severus nodded and closed his eyes. He thought of Latisha and was suddenly thrown back by an onslaught of emotions and feelings that he wasn't expecting. He opened his eyes with a gasp and saw Albus smiling at him.  
  
"Well," the older man said. "It seems as if you've discovered how to access your bond with her. I'll leave you alone with your memories. Let me know if you contact her please." Severus watched as Albus left the office. He took a look around and decided he would rather be in his own room for this. He locked the door and walked down the corridor to his own door. Entering, he lit one candle and conjured up a blanket. He would probably get cold tonight, as he wouldn't be in bed. He sat in the same chair he sat in the night before and took a deep breath before closing his eyes.  
  
He was assaulted by the same feelings as before, but this time he was expecting it. He focused on the memories of Latisha when they were in school. If his logic was still in place, he wouldn't be able to access the bond if he thought of the woman he knew as Patricia, since the bond hadn't been performed on a girl named Patricia. All at once he felt a mind touching his own.  
  
*Severus?* came the startled thought. *What the hell is going on?*  
  
*Latisha-* he began, but she cut him off once again.  
  
*My name's not Latisha. I'm Patricia now.*  
  
*You are not, so stop denying it. Where are you?* He asked, knowing he wouldn't get an answer out of her right away.  
  
*In the air,* she responded annoyingly. He hated it when she answered like that. She did it just to bug him.  
  
*Where are you, you damnable girl?*  
  
*Somewhere… what's going on, Severus? Why are you in my head?* After a moment's hesitation, Severus thought about everything that Albus had told him. He felt her mind withdraw from his, and he reached out, hoping she wouldn't shut him out. He relaxed when her mind touched his once again.  
  
*No… It's not possible. I can't be a Dryad…*  
  
*I assume you already knew about the Malfoy thing?* he asked. He felt an emotion that was a lot like laughter and marvelled at how he could *feel* laughter.  
  
*Yes, I already knew about the Malfoy thing,* she said. *I've known since I was 19.*  
  
*Well, you are a Dryad. Are you ready to come home?*  
  
*No,* she stated stubbornly.  
  
*Latisha, I'm sorry for the way I talked to you. I didn't mean it. Honestly, I didn't. Please… come home. I need you.* Severus didn't like begging, but he was willing to beg and plead and do whatever it took for her to return to him. He felt her emotions shift and hoped it meant she would come home.  
  
*Sev… I love you so much. But what you said to me hurt me to my core. I… I just can't choose between you and Jason yet…*  
  
*That's okay! Just come home. I think that Albus is worried about you. I think there's a very good reason he wants you home. Please? For me?* He felt that laughter again and knew that she was ready to return to him.  
  
*All right, Severus. I'll come home. Um… That is, I would come home, but…* He felt her emotions turn to confusion and panic.  
  
*But what?* he asked frantically.  
  
*Sev…* she said, her tone becoming even more frantic. *Sev, I can't come home!*  
  
*Why not?* he asked, trying to keep his emotions from boiling over and panicking her even more than she already was.  
  
*I don't know! I'm feeling… quite… heavy all of a sudden…*  
  
*All of a sudden, or just noticing it now?* he asked. Quite a few unpleasant possibilities sped through his head until he heard her reply.  
  
*Actually, just noticing it now… I've felt heavy for a while, but I thought it was just my latest meal… Sev, what do I do? I… I don't feel right… Something's wrong… Severus!*  
  
*Latisha? Are you okay? What's happening? Where are you? Latisha!!!* Severus thought with increasing panic. Her last thought echoed through his mind "Something's wrong…" He reached out for her, but she was gone. Just a blank where her mind had touched his. He felt an incredible sense of loss… Almost as if his heart were breaking in two… As if he had lost the most incredible thing he had ever held…  
  
*Albus will want to know about this…* he thought, slowly bringing himself back from that moment of touching her mind. They had been… *one* for a short, incredible moment. He got up from the chair, letting the blanket fall down. He looked around the room before leaving and going up to the Headmaster's office.  
  
When he arrived in front of the stone gargoyle he stood for a moment, composing himself. No doubt Quirrell would be in there, waiting to hear what he had to say.  
  
"Sugar twist," he said to the gargoyle. It moved aside and he strode up into the Headmaster's office, nodding semi – politely to Quirrell as he noticed him.  
  
"Headmaster, I found her. Then I lost her. Wait a moment before you try and punch me out, Jason. I contacted her through that… bond…" he looked sideways at Quirrell and the other man raised an eyebrow. "That we have, spoke with her for a few moments, and then she informed me that something was wrong and she couldn't return home for some reason. I don't know where she was when I spoke with her. I… I lost contact with her, Albus. I lost contact with her, and the void that's left is killing me." Quirrell curled his lip and rolled his eyes at Severus.  
  
"Right. And we're supposed to believe that?" Severus whirled on Quirrell with a snarl.  
  
"Listen, if you don't want to believe me about it, that's fine. But will you believe Albus?" he asked.  
  
"Why wouldn't I believe the Headmaster? He wouldn't lie to me or steal my wife from me," Quirrell said in response.  
  
"Gentlemen, that's enough for now," Albus said, coming between the two. "Jason, Severus does indeed have a bond with your wife that is unbreakable by any of us in this room. I won't go into the whole story right now, but suffice to say that you need to believe what Severus is telling us. Your wife's life may depend on it. Severus, did she say anything specific?" Severus continued to glare at Quirrell while nodding to Dumbledore's question.  
  
"Yes. She said something about noticing feeling heavy all of a sudden. She said that she had felt heavy-ish for a while, but had just thought it was her latest meal. She wasn't very coherent by the time she dropped -" Severus stopped suddenly and his eyes widened in horror. "She dropped, Albus. I just realised it. She dropped from whatever height she was at to who knows how high. I don't believe this…" he moaned, sitting down and putting his head in his hands. Albus closed his eyes, and Quirrell let out a breath as they each received various mental ideas about what had happened. All three of the men in the office loved the young woman who had left so rashly, albeit in different ways. Dumbledore loved her like the daughter he had never gotten a chance to get to know; Jason loved her like the wife he had always worshipped; Severus loved her like the bond mate to him that she was. All three of the men in that office would feel a significant loss if they didn't find her.  
  
Quirrell was the one to recover his wits first.  
  
"Well, I guess this changes things," he said slowly.  
  
"What do you mean?" Severus mumbled from between his hands.  
  
"What I mean is this: Both you and I are smitten with her, and we'd do anything to protect her, am I right?"  
  
"I'm not smitten with her. I love her with all my heart," came the response.  
  
"Yes, well. That's all very romantic, but you won't get a chance to tell her that if you and I don't put aside our hatred and work together to find her. She won't get the chance to tell us what possessed her to turn into an eagle and leave in the dead of night. Once again I ask you this: Are you willing to do this for her?" Quirrell looked at Severus, his eyes full of disdain, and Severus slowly raised his eyes. He blinked once before replying.  
  
"I would do anything for her. Even work with you," he growled.  
  
"Excellent. Now, Severus, do you have any idea where she was?" Dumbledore asked. Severus shook his head without answering. He opened his mouth as if to say something when the office door flew open and Hagrid stumbled in, breathing hard.  
  
"Headmaster, I was brought this," he said, carefully placing a very unconscious and very bloodied up eagle on the desk. "Normally I'da looked after 'er meself, ya see, but one o' the centaurs reckoned I oughta bring 'er up ter you. No idear why, though." Quirrell placed one hand on the bird before pulling away.  
  
"Well, that takes care of looking for her," he said, wiping his hand on his robes. Severus looked at the bird carefully and wasn't surprised to see that the eagle's wings were tipped with red that wasn't blood.  
  
"Take care of 'er," Hagrid said, backing out of the office. "I'd hate ter lose such a fine woman as 'er."  
  
"What do we do, Albus?" Severus asked quietly.  
  
"Just wait. That's all we can do. We have to wait for her to regain consciousness before we can do anything," Dumbledore said, not looking away from the small creature on his desk. His eyes narrowed as one of the wings twitched, and he smiled gently as the bird opened her dark eyes. She opened her beak in a half – hearted hiss and Fawkes the phoenix flew from his perch to where she lay.  
  
"Latisha, it's time to come back," Dumbledore said softly. Neither of the younger men knew what he was talking about, but Severus' mouth turned up at the corner as the once magnificent eagle tried to right herself. Her beak opened in a loud shriek, and in the exact spot the eagle was, sat Latisha Tatiana Quirrell. She was a rather bloodied up Ancient Runes teacher, but she was alive. Dumbledore hugged her fiercely and when he let go, they could see she had tears streaming down her cheeks. Quirrell approached her warily, as if he thought she was going to turn into something else and leave again, but after a moments hesitation, she threw herself into his arms. Severus looked away so he didn't have to see the look Quirrell was shooting at him, and Fawkes fluttered to his shoulder and laid his head against Severus' neck.  
  
"He's still quite taken with you, it seems," he heard. He looked up into the deep black eyes of the wife of his co – worker, and looked down again. He heard the door open and shut, and felt Latisha touch his jaw, forcing him to look up at her again.  
  
"Severus," she whispered before lightly touching her lips to his. He pulled away, looking around the room. "Dumbledore's taken Jason down to Hogsmede for a drink… or ten…" she said in response to the unspoken question. "Jason has a lot of questions he needs explaining."  
  
Fawkes hopped to Latisha's shoulder and laid his head against her neck, where the blood seemed to originate from. Severus watched in fascination as the bird cried the healing tears and the gash healed itself. Latisha smiled fondly and patted Fawked gently.  
  
"Thanks old friend," she said. "Hagrid would have gone mad if you hadn't done that." Fawkes trilled a few notes of his beautiful song before looking pointedly at the door. She smiled again and took Severus' hand. "Come, Love. We need to talk."  
  
"Do you promise to not leave this time?" he asked.  
  
"Only if you promise to help me get cleaned up," she replied. "I'm afraid I look a fright, what with all this blood and dirt."  
  
The two walked to the door, and Latisha looked pointedly at Fawkes, who was still on her shoulder.  
  
"Do I have to toss you in the lake again?" she asked. The bird looked at her reproachfully before spreading his wings and flying over to his perch. Severus put his hand on her waist and directed her out of the office, not yet opening his mind to her, but longing to none the less. He ached to have that connection with her again, but knew that she needed to get cleaned up and that they had to get things sorted out between them before he could bed her with that open bond. 


	12. Just Love Me... Please

1 Just… Love Me… Please  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Latisha (Patricia) is mine, but no other belongs to me.  
  
  
  
AN: Wow. I have so missed writing!!! It's been horrible. Due to unforeseen circumstances *curses the computer*, I haven't been able to post anything for the past… three weeks or so. I have just recently managed to get myself into the same type of situation as Latisha, but my bf doesn't know that I'm falling in love with another guy as well as falling deeper in love with him. *hopes he never reads this* I know who I'm going to choose though, because love rules all, right? Oh, and Rene, many apologies, but I have not answered your question from… many chapters ago. No, I'm not yet British, but one day… when I move to England to be with my love… I'm full of romantic sap tonight, aren't I?  
  
  
  
  
  
Severus kept his hand on Latisha's waist the entire way down to his rooms. He couldn't not touch her, lest he wake up and realize it had all been a dream. He opened his door and indicated that she was to go in first. Severus closed the door and with a flick of his wand lit the fire and half a dozen candles.  
  
"Here," he said, throwing her a bathrobe that was draped across his bed. "Get cleaned up and you can wear this."  
  
"Oooh!" Latisha exclaimed. "I get to wear your robe!"  
  
"Only if you don't get blood on it," he said, missing the teasing in her voice.  
  
"Alas, I would get cleaned up Love, but it appears that I may need some assistance," she said regretfully.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, turning around to face her.  
  
"Well, seeing as how I can't reach my back, and there's a fair amount of blood…"  
  
Severus arched an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes. The woman in front of him grinned at him impishly.  
  
"You can always use magic," he pointed out, deliberately not rising to her bait.  
  
"Fine," she said, throwing her hands up in disgust. "Will you help me get cleaned up Severus?"  
  
He looked at her thoughtfully, his mouth turning up in a smile. She had asked him to help her. Not Quirrell. He could handle this.  
  
"All right," he finally said. Her face lit u pin a smile and as she turned, Severus noticed that she did indeed have quite a bit of blood on her back. Quite a bit of it was fresh.  
  
"Wait," he said in a voice that even she always listened to. "Stay there."  
  
He walked over to her and placed a gentle hand on her back. Her robes were warm and sticky.  
  
"Latisha, take off your robes," he commanded. She looked at him quizzically but did as he said. The back of her shirt was torn to shreds. Odd that he hadn't noticed before. "You're going to have to take off your shirt," he said quietly. He noticed how she tensed when he put his hand on her shoulder blade.  
  
"I… It hurts, Sev," she said.  
  
"I know," he replied. "But it'll hurt even more if we don't get it cleaned up. Here," he said, helping her with her shirt. She flinched as the muscles in her shoulder moved, and he felt a stab of regret that he had to put her through this. They finally got the shirt off and he went back to examining her. It was worse than he had expected. Running from her shoulder to the base of her spine was a long, jagged wound. It was obviously quite painful from the way she was tensed up, but she didn't make a sound as he carefully pressed along the edges of the cut to make sure there was no sticks or anything lodged in it. It would have been quite small when she was an eagle, but…  
  
"This is why you dropped, Latisha," Severus said finally. "Whatever gave you this would have severed the pectoralis muscle, and that screwed you right up. Do you know what happened? I need to know." Latisha looked at him with an expression that he couldn't describe. She sighed and closed her eyes.  
  
"Severus, I just… I can't tell you. I know you need to know. I know Albus does. But I can't."  
  
"Why not?" he asked, trying to keep his rising anger in check. The last thing she needed was for him to yell at her.  
  
"Because. It has to do with… what happened… before Jason and I married," she said evasively.  
  
"Darling, I know it's painful for you to remember, but I need to know. I'm going to find out anyway. I mean, with this bond we have, I don't think we're going to be able to keep secrets from each other any more." Severus shuddered inwardly at that thought; she knew he had been a Death Eater, but she didn't fully understand that he had joined them of his own free will, and that he did, indeed, enjoy what he had done. He brought himself out of his own thoughts, and looked at Latisha with his best 'evil teacher' look. He didn't get the response he had hoped for. Instead she giggled and looked deep into his eyes.  
  
"I promise I'll tell you… someday. I just can't tell you now." She smiled sadly at him and touched his cheek. "I promise," she repeated. He nodded, knowing she would say nothing more on the subject.  
  
"Now, back to this injury of yours," he said, ending the moment. Looking at it again, he noticed that it wasn't very deep, just very long and nasty – looking. It was nothing he couldn't handle. He gently began to clean the wound and suddenly noticed how close to her bare shoulder he had leaned. He softly kissed her shoulder and marvelled at how soft her skin was. He dropped the cloth he had been using and brushed her hair out of his way. Trailing kisses from her shoulder to her neck he thought with some irony that she would probably not be in the mood to make love. He was pleasantly surprised when she leaned into him and arched her neck in order to allow him better access.  
  
"Wait," he breathed. "I… I can't."  
  
"Why not?" she murmured.  
  
"Because," he whispered. "Because you know that your back will pain you."  
  
She turned around and smiled gently.  
  
"Ah, Severus. You have the mind of a lover, but the manners of a gentleman. You want to take me, then take me. I am yours, and you are mine. I will share you with no one, and although I love my husband, I love you more. I've seen things in him that I don't like, and even though there are things in your past I don't like, this bond we have is unbreakable. I love you with all my heart, Severus. Words cannot describe how much I care for you. If only circumstances had not been changed. I would already be the next Lady Snape. Darling, I would move Heaven and Earth to be with you. Ask me to marry you now and I will say yes; but you won't ask me because you know that I'm still married to Jason Quirrell and I cannot yet get out of the marriage. Severus, I ask you to take me. I ask you to help me create the love that I have not had since the last time we lay together. Please. I've missed you. Just love me… Please."  
  
He looked into her deep brown eyes and smiled.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"All right then. Latisha, I have loved you from the moment I first met you. You are my sun, my moon, and all my stars. I long to be your husband, but for now I must be content with being your soulmate. I ask that you would open the bond that we have between us so that I can take you like we have never before experienced."  
  
Latisha kissed him with a passion she had never felt before, and he gently guided her to his bed. He lay her down without releasing her mouth and whispered the words, "I love you" before proceeding to take her to new heights… 


	13. I Love You

Disclaimer: Same as usual.  
  
A/N: Okay, I haven't been for a while, but I am now. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
  
  
Latisha sat watching the Gryffindor Quidditch team wind up their evening practice. She had half a mind to go get her broom and fly for a while, but it was in Severus; room, so she abandoned that idea. She didn't feel like putting up with the advances of either of the men. She needed desperately to think, and could find no place that would calm her mind. Getting up, she walked towards the school, wabing at the Gryffindors who smiled or nodded at her.   
  
"Why don't you go have tea with Minerva, dear?" Hana Hooch said, walking over to Latisha. "I think it would do you good." Hana touched Latisha's elbow in farewell and returned to what she had been doing.   
  
*I must reallyu be depressed - looking if Hana, of all people, notices I'm not myself* she thought. She blinked when she saw Fawkes hovering above her, trilling anxiously.  
  
"Alright, Albus! I'll go see her!" Latisha hollered at the open window above her head. She didn't hear his laughter over the noise she made by slamming the door after her entry.   
  
********  
  
"I just don't get it, Minerva," Latisha said quietly, looking at her tea. "Jason's always telling me how much he loves me; I can't see it though. Although Severus hasn't told me since Jason's return, I can see it every time he looks at me. If he loves me so much, why won't he say it?" Latisha wondered if she was seeing the Grim in her tea leaves. She would prefer that to anything stupid like a rabbit.   
  
"If you can see it in his eyes, then why does it matter so much to hear him say it?" Minerva asked gently.   
  
"I want him to admit it. I want him to love me enough to be able to tell me. He told me before, why not now?" came the almost inaudible reply.  
  
"Latisha, give him time. He'll say it again. I'm sure that Jason's return, and everything that the three of you have gone through has thrown him for a bit. We both know that Severus Snape does not like to be thrown," Minerva said with a grin.   
  
Latisha looked up at Minerva, and the older witch was able to see the pain and longing in her eyes.   
  
"Go to him, child. Don't be afraid to go to him for comfort as well as more personal things."  
  
With a sigh, Latisha stood and smiled at Minerva.  
  
"Thank you. I'd go mad without you, you know." She pulled her robes around her, and headed down to Severus' room. She reached his door and paused, resting her head against the cool stone of the doorway. She raised her hand to knock, and the door flew open; she found herself staring into the worried black eyes of Severus Snape.   
  
"Latisha, are you okay?" he asked in a voice that only she could identify as frantic.  
  
"Yes... Why?" she asked, taken aback by his tone.  
  
"Malfoy said he saw you leaving the medical wing and then go down to the Quidditch pitch. Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine," she replied.   
  
"But-" he began.  
  
"Severus, I'm fine. I just haven't been feeling well lately. Poppy ran some tests, and she's going to let me know tomorrow."  
  
"Are you pregnant?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"Of course not," she replied quickly. "Just not feeling well." She saw the worry begin to fade from his eyes.  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
Latisha put her arms around him and laid her head on his chest.  
  
"As far as I know, I'm sure." She felt him relax and put his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head before resting his chin where he had kissed her. They stood there for some time, Latisha drawing strength from Severus, and Severus wondering what was on his lovers' mind. He heard footsteps down the corridor, and reached out with his leg and kicked the door shut. Latisha stirred and moved to stand in front of the blazing fire. She stood there, warming herself, and her posture gave away her Malfoy parentage. Severus wondered why he'd never seen it before now. It was so obvious; the set of the shoulders, the way she held her head...  
  
"Why do you teach?" he asked surprising himself.  
  
"Why not?" she replied in typical Eston fashion. She turned to face him with a grin playing at the corners of her mouth. "Why teach when I could be locked away in the Eston or Quirrell estate? Why teach when I could be pampered to my heart's content? Severus, if I didn't teach, I'd be locked away, guarded, and forced to act like a proper Lady. Sooner or later someone would notice the Malfoy in me. Some one would notice the Dryad. I'd be under lock and key the rest of my life. I make some stupid decisions sometimes, but I'd rather mess up than be locked up. Besides, if I didn't teach, I'd never have the opportunity to torment you."  
  
Latisha lapsed into silence again, turning back to the fire. Severus quietly stepped up behind her and put his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek and whispered the words she had longed for the past month.  
  
"I love you"  
  
Then he was gone into his office, before she could react. She sank into his chair and arranged herself so she was sitting sideways in it. With the fire in front of her, and the remains of his scent on the chair, it wasn't long before she fell asleep.  
  
Severus came back into the room and smiled when he saw her sleeping. He spread a light blanket over her and kissed her forehead, smoothing back a few strands of her hair that had fallen over her face.   
  
Gods he loved her. 


End file.
